Why Did You Have to Go?
by CatRocks
Summary: It was going to be a tame summer, where friends bond and fix the mistakes of previous summers. It was going to be. The Sisterhood faces a loss more devestating then Marly and Bailey put together.
1. Epilogue

Cat: Yes, this is the epilogue. I just wanted to grab your attention because it might be a while between updates. Yes, I know I'm horrible to get you hooked (I hope someone gets hooked) and then not update, but I swear I will eventually. It just might take a while.

Disclaimer: No! I don't own it! Wanna make somethin' of it? Huh? Punk!

Bridget, Carmen, and Tibby sat down in their traditional spots on the floor. They had sat there so many times they could practically see the marks from where their behinds had worn the hardwood smooth.

Carmen dropped the stack of traditional bad CDs on the floor and stared quietly at the empty place across from her. She had the Pants, but she slid them out of her sight.

Bridget pulled her knees up to her hips, as though trying to make herself smaller. Lena's absence made her feel like she was on the edge. As though she might fall off.

Tibby shifted and pulled a plastic grocery store bad in nearer to her. The bag rustled horribly loudly, audible even over the music, to her at least. Tibby swallowed hard. She and Carmen had gotten together and, with Bridget's okay, decided that they had to have candles. In honor of Lena.

So Tibby had taken Lena's job and they went without snacks, but it felt odd. She had gone by Lena's house to pick them up and thought that that had been the hard part. At that moment Tibby realized that she was wrong. Sitting here, trying to take Lena's place, that was the hard part.

Her eyes filled with tears as she carefully pulled one candle after another out of the bag. She handed Bridget hers first, and Bee hugged it to her chest, just like her knees.

When Carmen received her candle she paused for a moment, then brought it close to her nose and breathed deeply. The candle smelled like the cheep wax that it was, along with the sent of the glue that she had used to decorate it with sequins and ribbons. Closing her eyes Carmen detected the faint sent of Lena's room, where the candle sat for most of the year. It was like acrylic paint and pencil lead, mingled with the smell that was purely Lena. Carmen put the candle down as fast as she could.

Tibby's candle was already sitting before her, and she moved very slowly, and with the utmost care as she handled the final candle. She put it down at Lena's point in the circle without really looking at it. She seemed to be staring through the floor. She couldn't focus on the missing person; she would cry and never ever stop.

Bridget relinquished her hold on her candle and completed the small circle in the center of the room. She accepted the pack of matches from Carmen and struck one. She and Tibby had both lit their candles already and Bridget proceeded to do so. The pack of matches weighed heavily in her other hand. She should hand them to Lena, but Lena wasn't there to receive them.

Her hand trembled and the matches fluttered in her hand briefly. Bridget dropped the pack with a thawp. The moment seemed to repeat itself over and over again in Bridget's mind. Even she wasn't entirely sure why.

Bridget, Carmen, and Tibby glanced at each other. "On three." Carmen directed softly. They held their candles carefully. "One, two, three." As previously discussed, they all tipped the flames from their candles forward, and used them to light the last one. Carmen watched the single tongue of flame through eyes blurred with tears.

There was a long silence, and, as tradition dictated, it was Carmen's job to end it. Tonight however, she was having trouble with that. She didn't want to break the stillness that had fallen over all of them recently. It was harder then it had ever been to talk to any of them, let alone about this topic. Finally however, she managed to speak.

"Today." She began, but her voice came out in a croak. She cleared it nosily, and unnecessarily loudly. The corner of Tibby's mouth twitched, but Carmen wasn't sure if it was out of humor or out of irritation. Carmen steeled herself, and tried hard not to cry as she delivered a series of numbers. "Today is 18 years and nine days after a very special person was born. It is also 34 days after," here her voice hit that high pitch that it did when ever she was feeling extreme emotions, "she died." Carmen swallowed.

Tibby was watching the floor in the center of the circle, and Bridget was gazing intently at the spot where the far wall met the ceiling.

"During those 18 years and nine days, the period of time that we went the longest without speaking to each other was 27 days, right after she died." Carmen seemed to be back in the driver's seat, at least temporarily. "Lena wouldn't want that." They all knew it was true. "I thought we could all go around and ask the questions on our minds." Carmen finished. She didn't add that asking questions was what the school shrink had suggested.

Much to their surprise, Bridget was the first to go. "Why did you have to go?" She asked Lena's quietly burning candle.

"Why did you have to leave us here?" Tibby wondered.

"Why wasn't I there?" Carmen berated herself and then the circle began again with Bridget.

"Why did you have to go now?"

"What are we supposed to do without you?"

"Did you do everything you wanted to?"

"Is there really a better place?"

Tibby slid down to the floor and laid her head down on her hands. Her eyes didn't shift from Lena's candle during the motion. "Why you?"

"Why do I feel like a part of me died with you?" Carmen asked.

Tears flowed freely now, and the candle still burned.

"Lenny, we need you here so badly." Bridget confessed in a sob.

"We miss you." Tibby agreed, her voice breaking.

"And we love you." Carmen finished

Cat: Thanks for reading! Remember: Reviews are fantastic!


	2. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but I do want the soundtrack for the movie because it's got some cool songs.

Once upon a time there were four best friends who shard a pair of magic pants. Now, these pants weren't like the magic mirror in Snow White, or the fairy godmother's magic wand in Cinderella. They did however, make you look really great.

I shared these magic pants with the three greatest friends in the entire world, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby. As far as best friends go, we are about as different as its possible to be. Carmen is brilliant but she always underrates herself. Lena is very beautiful, but also very shy. Tibby is very independent and rebellious. I, Bridget, am wild and out of control.

The Pants traveled between us during the summers as a way to keep us all in touch. We found them two summers ago, and have since had many life changing experiences in them.

Tibby says this summer should be tamer then the last two. Carmen is the only one who is entering a possibly hostile environment. She had decided to try again for the Summer of Carmen and Al. She also plans on apologizing to her step-mother for teaching her stepsister Krista bad habits and ruining her home.

I am going back to Alabama to stay with my grandmother Greta. Not for any particular reason except to visit, and possibly to see Billy again.

Tibby's staying home. Her parents are going on some sort of second honeymoon type trip and leaving Tibby home to baby-sit her four year old sister for two weeks. Luckily Lena offered to help. She's staying home too, except that she still has her summer job at the thrift shop and as enrolled in an art class that meets twice a week, so she's going to be pretty busy.

I feel almost guilty leaving.


	3. Chapter 1

Cat: Sorry, that was a longer update then I had planned, but I promise another chapter by Christmas (yes, a long way away but there are exams in between). Thanks so much to all of my amazing reviewers! You're all my new best friends, kay? Not really but yeah, you get the point.

**Disclaimer: Isn't it cool how many interesting ways people have come up with to say essentially the same thing. Here's my attempt. I don't own it! Now, leave me alone or I'll have Sunwinged insult you. She's a real good insulter!**

"Wait, remind me why I'm letting you go off and have a real vacation while I'm stuck at home baby-sitting non-stop." Tibby requested.

"Because I'm your best friend and you want me to be happy." Bridget said with a grin as she threw a few more pairs of socks into a duffle bag. Tibby grumbled something.

"Come on Tibby. It won't be that bad. I already promised I'd help you." Lena reminded her.

"Yeah. Sure. Because we all know that between Art classes, and a job, and Paul you're going to have lots of free time."

"Paul? Paul and I are just friends."

"Lena, don't even go there with us." Said Carmen.

"Go where? Paul and I are just friends. Seriously!"

Carmen, Tibby, and Bridget made various sounds of disbelief.

"Seriously!" Lena said again.

"Riiight. So, when's he coming to see you?" Bridget asked.

"He's not. He's taking a summer class in psychology."

"And you know this, how exactly?" Tibby asked.

"We've exchanged e-mails." Lena admitted. She had the sinking suspicion that her friends were going to start teasing her again, and braced herself.

"E-mails huh?" Carmen repeated. "Ever talk about love?" she teased.

"Only once." Lena said defensively.

Lena was glad that she had braced herself.

"Tibby, I don't know why you're laughing. I might just decide that I have better things to do then spend time with one of my best friends." That shut her up pretty fast.

"I don't know why you're laughing either Carmen." Bridget laughed. "If she and Paul get married then you'll be sisters-in-law." This set off another round of laughter.

Lena blushed but said, "I'll beat you with your soccer cleats."

"Oh, getting violent, are we?"

Lena wondered how she could be flustered, embarrassed, and happy all at the same time.

Carmen stepped off of the bus feeling a strange mixture of apprehension and bravery. It was weird and a little scary to be back in Charleston. Especially after last summer when she'd found out how bad she messed up the first time she was here. It had taken a while to come to a decision, and even longer to gather up the courage to follow through on it, but Carmen knew that she had to at least try to apologize to Lydia for all the trouble she'd caused with Krista.

The knowledge that she had somehow managed to get herself as far as Charleston stopped her from turning back. Plus, she had the Pants. They had decided that she needed them, and Carmen agreed. The words "Throwing Rocks," which had been carefully written in seven different colors of Sharpie two summers ago, made her feel brave. They also reminded her of how badly she'd screwed up.

"Carmen!" Al's voice drifted over to her and Carmen spun around. She stared at him for a moment, and then he smiled warmly at her. So he wasn't too mad at her. Carmen grinned back.

If you've already reviewed, I won't hound you to review again (but I would love it if you did) but if you haven't please do. Especially if you put me on your favorites or Author/Story Alert. I love having feedback from y'all.

Now, nobody catch Bird Flu and don't drink and drive. After that public service announcement I feel like I have done my civil duty and can allow you all to continue rotting your brains out on this site in exactly the same way I do. Have fun!


	4. Chapter 2

Cat: Thanks to all of you for your patience, and now I'm on break so I will have another update before Christmas! Won't that be exciting? No. Fine. Be that way.

**Disclaimer: If I owned The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants I would be writing the books. This is only a fanfiction. Therefore, I do not own the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. QED (sorry, I had Geometric Proofs on the brain) **

"Billy! Greta!" Bridget called happily. They turned to face her across the bus station and Bridget jogged over, her duffle banging against her side in time with her steps.

"Bridget hey!' Billy said when she approached. "You look…" He looked her up and down excruciatingly slowly and Bridget felt a large stupid grin slid across her face. "Fantastic."

"Thanks, you too." Bridget knew she looked a lot better then she had when she had first visited Georgia. Her hair had been dyed then, and she had lost all of the extra weight since then. She knew she looked fantastic, but she'd hoped he'd say that anyway.

"Planning on playing soccer this year?"

"Heck yes!"

"Good, those boys need a player like you." Greta said. Bridget turned to her.

"Hi Greta." She said hugging her. Greta hugged back, and it was the perfect Grandmother Hug.

"How've you been?"

"All right. Sorry I couldn't make it for Christmas. Carmen's mother was getting married and—"

"Say no more. I understand." Bridget knew that she did.

"So anyways, about soccer" Billy said brightly.

Lena sighed. The store was completely empty. It had been empty all morning. She turned around to look through the window to the sidewalk outside, saw no one coming and turned around again. She had a doodle page in front of her, and feebly tried to further embellish the lavish title across it. There wasn't much she could do to embellish it and she let the pencil flop back onto the page.

The bell on the door tinkled and Lena shot up in her seat. A little boy was being dragged through by his mother, and Lena watched with interest as the mother attempted to find him some clothes. The boy was being very uncooperative and the entire incident ended with the child throwing a tantrum and his mother dragging him from the store without purchasing anything. Lena wondered if Tibby's sister was that bad.

Cat: Before my next update I need the names of Tibby's siblings. My sister stole my copy of the books so I can't look it up. If I don't get some form of REVIEW (that's a hint in case you didn't notice) I will make up a name like Rniosnergiosb. I think it is in your best interests to review. And thank you to anyone who has read is much of my story, I greatly appreciate it.


	5. Chapter 3

Cat: Thanks to all of my amazing reviewers who responded with the names of Tibby's siblings. In case anyone was wondering, Nicky is staying at a friend's house during the course of Tibby's babysitting adventure. And all of her interactions with her sister are based on my personal experience with siblings/small children, so they could actually happen.

**Disclaimer: Okay, I'm far to lazy to think of something clever, suffice it to say that I do not own anything to do with this story. **

"Put it on again!"

"Katherine, we've watched this movie three times today." Tibby grumbled. The first time they'd watched it, it had been Tibby's suggestion (as a way to get her to sit still) and it had worked too well. Now, Tibby thought that if she ever had to watch Sky High again she would die on the spot.

"Come on Tibby!"

"How about we….eat lunch!" It was only 11:30, but at least it would be a change.

"I'm not hungry." So much for that idea.

"But you will be hungry."

"Will not."

"Will too.

"Will not!"

"Will."

"Not."

"Will."

"Not." Tibby could hear her sister's voice rising in pitch the way it did when she was about to cry and have a full blown-fit.

Sighing she said, "Fine. I'll restart the movie."

"Yay! I love you Tibby." Katherine dashed back to the couch and curled up in a pile of pillows, smiling.

Tibby paused. Katherine said that so easily. TIbby couldn't even remember the last time she'd told her family that she loved them.

She punched the button on the DVD player and sat back down silently.

"Hey guys! I'm back!" Al called into the house as he opened the door. Paul looked up from the newspaper spread out on the kitchen table and waved, but there was no other response.

"Hey Paul." Al greeted him, his voice dropped to a normal tone.

"Hi Paul." Said Carmen awkwardly.

"Where's your mom?" Al asked him.

"She went to the store." Paul replied and turned back to his paper.

"Krista must be up in her room." Al told Carmen, sounding like he was trying to reassure her.

Carmen felt like the entire entrance was anti-climactic. She'd been so nervous the entire car ride about seeing Lydia again, and now Lydia was out. "You'll be staying the guest room again, you remember where it is?"

Carmen nodded and readjusted the strap on her duffle bag as she trudged off.

Cat: review and I might update again by New Years. Don't review and it might be till Spring Break (not kidding)


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